Much has been made this summer about Real Madrid's lack of a natural Karim Benzema replacement up front, and the downgrade of Joselu entering that position for Los Blancos instead. But sometimes, you don't need to replace a player in the transfer market with a like-for-like switch. Sometimes, all you need to do is tweak the shape of the team. This is what Real Madrid have done in finding a solution for their Benzema dilemma. In the process, they've also presented a solution to the conundrum regarding how to fit all their fantastic pieces in midfield together.
Tag: Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti – Real Madrid – Tactical Analysis
Carlo Ancelotti has long been a legend of the game. But despite managing for over 20 years, now at the age of 62, Ancelotti has continued to update his tactics and methodologies to serve the modern era. That has now transferred into a fourth UEFA Champions League title for the manager himself, his second at Real Madrid. Los Blancos have been exceptional this season under the influence of Ancelotti, winning La Liga by thirteen points, and beating both of England's top two clubs en route to a Champions League triumph. With that, we take a tactical glance at how Carlo Ancelotti achieved miracles in 2021-22.
Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid – UEFA Champions League Final – Tactical Analysis
Over the past few seasons, we've seen some legendary Champions League finals. This encounter between Liverpool and Real Madrid, in many ways, was more lethargic and leisurely. A chess battle as both teams patiently worked through the thirds and never fully pressed the gas, Liverpool couldn't quite ever get up to full speed in matching Real Madrid's assuredness and steady flow in possession. With Courtois supersonic-ifying his gloves beforehand, the match ended with Real Madrid coming out as winners, claiming an impressive double under the influence of Carlo Ancelotti, and one last hurrah for many of the decade-defining stars from the 2010s. Here is our tactical analysis of Real Madrid's narrow 1-0 win over Liverpool.
Finding Aurélien Tchouaméni’s next club
With one of the best midfielders in the world in Aurélien Tchouaméni, AS Monaco are now slowly making their way back to their best, and look set to finish within the top three again this season. As a result of being one of the world's top emerging talents, conversations persist about possible next steps for the top-quality 22-year-old. With that, we decipher the best fit for the Monaco man if a move were to be made this summer.
Our Ten Most Popular Analyses of 2021
2021 was the most successful year in the six year history of TheMastermindSite.com. Over the course of the year, we doubled our number of views, visitors, social media followers and email subscribers from where we left off in 2020. Our most popular feature and the aspect of our website that has gained the attention from pro club managers, former and current professional players, and writers from The Athletic, has been our tactical analyses all year long. So with that, here are the ten most popular analyses of the year, all written by Rhys Desmond in 2021.
Futbol Masterminds – Champions League and Europa League Finals + Managerial Merry Go Round
This week the supposed underdogs pulled through in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League final fixtures, with Chelsea and Villarreal coming out victorious over Manchester City and Manchester United. The Futbol Masterminds break down all of their thoughts from the two finals, including Chelsea's stellar defense, Guardiola's strange tactics, and that crazy … Continue reading Futbol Masterminds – Champions League and Europa League Finals + Managerial Merry Go Round
UCL / UEL second legs – what we learned this week
In a week that saw Manchester City humble PSG, Chelsea teach Real Madrid a lesson, Manchester United and Roma involved in a 5-goal thriller and Villareal tame Arsenal, we look back at some of the talking points from the second leg semifinals of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
